


Touching Was Forbidden

by RachelCraft



Category: Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Fluff, Internalised shame, M/M, Minor Angst, Non-Sexual Touching, Touching, mentions of cannibalism, two soft bois
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 19:06:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18900790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RachelCraft/pseuds/RachelCraft
Summary: Venom, for their part, had been too engrossed in studying the lines on Eddie's sole to notice that their host had briefly floated up to consciousness. By the time they were aware, he was already gone again, with no obvious signs that he had noticed anything. They relaxed again after that. It was ok, their secret was safe. He was none the wiser. They would just have to be more careful in the future.____________________________________________Old habits die hard for Venom, even if they wish they wouldn't.





	Touching Was Forbidden

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a simple one-shot. It would seem that I've lost my ability to write anything 'short'.
> 
> Thanks to EponineT and Duckmoles for the beta.

Touching was forbidden - at least, that was what Venom had always been told. Using it to subdue and control a host was actively encouraged, but any other forms of physical contact were strictly prohibited. It was considered deviant behaviour, and the punishments for disobedience were severe. But Venom’s curiosity would always get the better of them, and touch was a sense they didn’t have much of on their own. So they devised a loophole, a way they could enjoy their unsanctioned desires without bringing down the wrath of the group.

Most of the organisms the symbiotes used as hosts required a period of sleep or rest. Surely it was only logical for Venom to protect themselves during this time? They reasoned that if they were already partially covering the body, then they would be even quicker to respond to a threat. It would definitely be a deterrent to any other predators. The others scoffed at them, calling it a waste of energy, that it saved only fractions of a second. But Venom was adamant that they were in the right, and wouldn’t be persuaded otherwise. Eventually the others just stopped bothering to argue, and turned a blind eye to Venom’s nightly activities.

But even with this grumbling tolerance of their rule bending, Venom still tried to be discreet. They kept themselves away from the others, quietly spending every moment they could wrapped around their latest host. No one was allowed to see just how extensive their touching was; it always went far beyond what anyone would call reasonable. But as long as it went unnoticed, they were safe. They could wallow in all that wonderful feedback, losing themselves in the feeling of it. Just as long as it stayed a secret.

And so it still was when it came to Eddie.  
  
It had been nearly two months now since the Life Foundation, and the two of them were getting along pretty well. They had found a happy medium for existence, but Eddie didn't know about the touching rule. Sure, he grabbed Venom now and again for the same reasons that they were supposed to - to subdue or control. But he would touch them at other times too. Like when he was happy, or sad, or just because they happened to be there. He was surprisingly tactile, and Venom wasn't really sure how to react to this. They had never been told what to do if their host wanted to touch _them_ . It had never come up before, and it left Venom in a sort of limbo with half of them wanting to enjoy it, and the other sternly telling them they’ll be punished if they do.  
  
Eddie had noticed this of course. Any time he made contact with Venom not for the purposes of reprimanding their behavior, they would go still. It wasn't quite freezing, but it gave Eddie the strong impression that touching was something they merely endured. He tried his best to rein in his own behaviour after that, but sometimes he would slip. There were moments where the urge to run his fingers through Venom's gooey strands was just too strong to resist. Sometimes the light caught them in such a tempting way, or a tendril was just too juicy not to squeeze. He always felt bad afterwards though, and quickly gave himself a mental telling-off. It just wasn’t something that Venom was into, and he would have to respect that.

And it would have continued on exactly like that if it hadn't been for one particular night that began a chain reaction of events.  
  
It had been an uneventful day followed by an uneventful evening, and Eddie had been sleeping perfectly soundly for the most part. He had drifted awake, as you sometimes do, and had turned his head to get away from the damp spot of drool on the pillow. He was quickly falling back asleep again, but his brain had started to register that something was different.

There was a sort of pressure around him, like he was wrapped up in bandages in the world’s worst mummy costume. His head and hands were free, but the rest of him was covered. The bandages wound round every part of his body, down every limb, warm and thick, and ever so slightly moving. They felt silky over his exposed skin, gently squeezing him in some unfathomable pattern.

He was being held. That’s what it was. He wasn’t being restricted in any way, just softly embraced by what he realised must be tentacles. The part of his brain that knew this wasn't normal wanted him to wake up and find out what was going on. But the other part, the one that was comfortable and cosy, didn’t feel any cause for alarm. It was Venom. Venom was holding him, and that made everything ok. There was no need to panic, no need to wake up, because he was fine. There wasn’t any danger. He didn’t even need to open his eyes. So he didn’t, and let sleep pull him under again.

Venom, for their part, had been too engrossed in studying the lines on Eddie's sole to notice that their host had briefly floated up to consciousness. By the time they were aware, he was already gone again, with no obvious signs that he had noticed that anything. They relaxed again after that. It was ok, their secret was safe. He was none the wiser. They would just have to be more careful in the future.

  
  
The argument was a fairly intense one. Eddie had been invited to the office party, and had every intention of going and getting his drink on at the open bar. But Venom was not going to allow him to poison himself like that. Getting drunk was not an option, and for some reason this made Eddie mad. The debate went round in circles as Eddie pleaded with Venom that it was a normal human thing to do, while Venom refused every suggestion. They couldn’t understand why he wished to become inebriated, but his desire to ‘just blow off a little steam’ fell upon deaf ears.

Eventually Eddie pulled at his hair and let out a frustrated scream.

“You’re being impossible, you know that!?”

**You do not know how much you damage your own body.**

“Yeah, well, it’s _my_ body!”

 **It is** **_our_ ** **body now.**

“So let’s compromise. I’ll just get a little buzzed instead.”

**No. Unacceptable.**

“Venom, for Christ’s sake! I just want a drink!”

**Then choose something without alcohol.**

“That’s not the point-!”

He had gone back to pulling at his hair and grinding his teeth again.

Venom really couldn’t fathom why Eddie was so determined to impair his cognitive functions at a social event. They hated the way that alcohol damaged his body - damage that they had to repair, but they could also tell that he was convinced he needed this. Perhaps there was a psychological benefit to drinking they were not considering? Eddie had called it a ‘stress relief’, and his mental health had become an increasing priority for Venom. Plus, he had been so accommodating of everything that they had required since they bonded that perhaps they were being a little unfair now. One night would be ok.

**Fine. You may have three drinks.**

“Ten.”

**Six.**

“Deal.”

Venom still grumbled the entire night. It was a challenge to keep Eddie from exceeding the agreed limit, and more than once they had to stop his hand reaching for another bottle. But his uncoordinated attempts at dancing had been amusing, and he even swiped half a chocolate cake for them as he left, which he probably wouldn’t have done otherwise.

When Eddie got back to the apartment that night he was in an excellent mood. He was singing to himself rather off-key as he carefully placed down his stolen booty. Of course he could only remember the first verse and chorus, so the song got rather repetitive rather quickly.

**_Eddie, please stop singing._ **

“Hey, Vee! Come and dance with me, Vee,” he said as he bopped about the kitchen.

**_We do not dance. And based upon your display, neither do you._ **

“Ooh, burn!” he snorted. He spun around too quickly after that, and his balance wavered. “Um, I'm gonna go sit down.”

He wobbled over to the couch, and ungracefully flopped down onto it.

**_You are intoxicated, Eddie._ **

“I know.”

**_This is not what we agreed on._ **

“Yeah, sorry. You’ve made me into a lightweight.”

**_We did no such thing._ **

But it was possible they had tweaked a few things so he wouldn’t need to ingest quite so much alcohol to feel it’s effects. Less drink, less damage. But they may have tweaked a little too far.

When he hadn't moved for a while, Venom pulled their head from his body.

 **Eddie. The chocolate cake, Eddie,** they nudged, looking back over to the counter.

“Just five more minutes,” he mumbled back, shifting more onto his side.

 **Eddie,** they pleaded. **We would like the cake.**

“And I would like to give you a hug.”

With no other warning, he swept them up into his arms, pulling them in close to his chest. Venom went still, expecting that he would remember himself and let them go. But clearly drunk Eddie wasn’t as good with personal boundaries as sober Eddie. There wasn’t any realisation coming, no mental chiding for his behaviour. He wasn't letting them go.

They didn't have to stay there of course, they could just melt away into his body and leave his arms empty. In all honesty, they could have not let themselves be caught up in the hug in the first place. But part of them didn't want to. Actually, it wasn’t just a part, it was rather more than that.

Venom never had the courage to take the initiative like Eddie did, they would never have thought of asking for a hug. Hugging was such a human thing. But the longer he held them there, the nicer it became. Even with the beer breath and ketchup stained t-shirt, it was nice being so close to him, so wrapped up in him instead of the other way round. They nearly relaxed into the feeling, nearly allowed themselves to enjoy it, until Eddie let out something that was both a burp and a snore at the same time, and ruined the moment.

**Time for bed, Eddie.**

“Huh? What?”

**Bed.**

“Five more minutes.”

If Venom had been in their normal state of mind, they would have moved him like they always did. There was no logical reason not to pilot Eddie from the inside, as was their habit. But maybe it was the booze in their shared systems, or the snuggly feelings rolling through Eddie’s brain, that made Venom choose something different. They decided instead to physically hold him by wrapping him up in long ropes of black, like some strange sort of exo-suit. Eddie didn't struggle, he just went all limp and let himself be manhandled to a standing position.

“Whatcha doing, Vee?” he asked with half closed eyes.

**_Moving you over to the bed._ **

“Oooh, bow chicka wow wow,” he giggled.

Venom paused, not understanding the reference. They did a quick flip through Eddie's mind until they found the meaning of the phrase. They instantly recoiled, appalled by the suggestion, and whipped all of their form back inside his body. Eddie stumbled with the sudden loss of support.

“Hey wait, come back, Vee.” He pawed at his chest trying to find them again. “I was only joking. I didn't mean it. I'm sorry.”

He sounded so forlorn that Venom took pity and slowly emerged, coiling around him again. Eddie smiled dopily at seeing his friend return.

They moved him over the bed, and helped him climb onto it. Once he was lying down, Venom used extra tendrils to remove his shoes and belt. The rest he could deal with himself.

Eddie gave what Venom knew to be a happy sigh. They sent a question mark over their bond.

“This is nice, that’s all.”

**_What is?_ **

“Just-” He sent more of a feeling than words back over the bond. He liked how Venom was still wrapped around him.

Venom flinched a little, unsure if they should stay or leave. Eddie seemed to sense their hesitation.

“Stay, please?”

**_As you wish._ **

For the first time, Venom got to hold onto their host before they were asleep.

 

A familiar feeling tugged at the back of Eddie's brain as he woke up. But he was too groggy to catch it, so it slipped through his fingers yet again. Quite possibly in a literal sense as well as figuratively.

 **_Breakfast, Eddie?_ ** Venom hopefully asked.

“It's Saturday,” he whined back.

**_But you are awake._ **

“No I'm not.” He buried his face into the pillows.

**_Yes you are or you would not be talking._ **

He only groaned in response. Venom formed a face near his head.

**Eddie, we are awake, and we want chocolate cake.**

He blindly swatted at their form like he was trying to hit the snooze button. Venom easily dodged every attempt.

 **Eddie,** they moaned. **We have balanced out your systems to remove all residual effects from the alcohol. The least you could do is give us breakfast.**

He grunted into the pillows.

“Fine.”

Even without the hangover, Eddie still went for coffee and toast. Venom waited patiently for him to sit down with his plate at the table so they could eat together. He placed the cake, still in its plastic case, in front of them.

“All yours.”

Venom tucked into it with glee. Eddie watched them with an amused smile. For all they could be a big scary monster, really they were just a soft kitten. He reached out to fondly scratch the back of their head, but froze with his hand in the air. Memories of the previous night tumbled into his head.

Venom paused, noticing their host’s unease. They gave him a questioning look.

“Um, did- did I overstep some, er, boundaries last night?”

**In what way?**

“With, um, with the hugging?”

Venom considered their answer. Yes, boundaries were overstepped, but not in any ways that were offensive to them. It was all rather lovely as far as they were concerned.

**We forgive you.**

Eddie covered his face with his hands. “Oh god, Vee. I'm so sorry.”

His guilt tasted horrible, and didn't go at all well with their cake.

**It is not your fault, Eddie. You were drunk.**

He dropped his hands with a shameful sigh. “That's not really an excuse, bud.”

**Humans are a tactile species. We know this. We accept this.**

“But you don't like it, do you?”

They did like it. In fact they loved it. More than once they had snuggled their form under his palms as he slept, trying to replicate the feeling of the way he touched them, but they could never admit that.

**It is as we said, we accept it. We do not have to like it. We forgive you for your actions.**

It didn't really do much to aid Eddie's state of mind. He knew Venom put up with a lot of his crap, and this was just another thing to add to the pile.

“At least let me make it up to you. Whatever you want to do today, we'll do.”

**We can go to the aquarium and get ice cream?**

“Yeah bud, we can go to the aquarium and get ice cream.”

They had started the day at the aquarium, wandering around with their ice cream and marvelling at the sharks. From there they had gone around and about anywhere Venom fancied as Eddie's conscience desperately tried to make up for his drunken antics. They had taken public transport so Venom could ogle at all of the weird and wonderful characters that lived in their city, and by the end of the day they had walked for miles in shoes that weren't really designed for it. Eddie's feet were absolutely barking by the time they got back to the apartment. He sat down with a grateful sigh and let out a positively orgasmic noise when he finally got his boots off.

“Hey, buddy,” Eddie called. “Any chance you could help with my feet?”

Venom appeared over his shoulder.

**What would you like us to do?**

“Well it would be nice if they could stop hurting. Fairly sure I've got a few blisters from all the walking we did today.” He rubbed his thumbs into his soles, trying to ease some of the ache.

**We could remove the pain, but that would not fix the problem.**

“I thought you could fix anything?”

**We can. It would simply be easier for us to repair you once you are asleep.**

That was only a half lie. While it was true that sorting sore muscles required more finesse than healing broken bones and open wounds, really Venom just wanted the excuse to touch Eddie more. They could fix him from the inside right now if he really asked them to, but they'd much rather do it from the outside with a long and luxurious massage.

“Oh,” Eddie replied, digesting this new information. Venom had never mentioned anything like this before. But he could live with it until it was time for bed. He knew he’d be fine by the morning.

He glanced over to the fridge. He was thirsty but didn't want to move again.

 **Would you like something?** Venom asked.

“I just fancied a drink was all.”

**We will fetch it.**

Eddie tried to hold back his surprise as Venom stretched over and retrieved a bottle from the fridge. This was a first, and something new. Being helpful and allowing him to drink? He did only want one, so maybe that was acceptable to them. Or maybe it was because he had indulged them all day, and technically his pain was their doing. In any case, Eddie welcomed the development. They even removed the cap on the way back over.

**Do you require anything else?**

“Um, the TV remote, please?”

It was duly fetched from the coffee table and put into his hand.

“Thanks.”

**You are welcome.**

For the rest of the evening till it was time for bed Venom did everything they could so Eddie didn't have to move. It might have seemed selfless, but really they just wanted his muscles to knot up even more so they could fix him later. They knew it was a bad thing to want, but they couldn't help themselves. They only let him get off the couch so he could use the bathroom before bed, and he groaned as he stiffly shuffled about. His feet protested at having weight put back upon them, and his legs weren’t too happy either.

He flopped into bed and got himself comfortable.

“We had a pretty good day today, didn't we?”

**_Yes we did, Eddie._ **

It didn’t take long for him for drop off, but Venom still had to patiently wait until he was in a deep enough state for them to eagerly start their work.

Now, Eddie rarely remembered his dreams. Usually they slipped through his fingers upon waking like sand, and he barely gave them another thought. But there was something about the dream that night that seemed to linger.

He couldn’t recall that much of it, only that he was lying in some sort of reclining chair in a room that felt vaguely familiar. He was bound from head to toe in long thick black ropes that criss-crossed over and around his body, but he wasn't tied down. He felt safe, protected, watched over. The ropes were tight, and pressed against his skin creating an even pressure, but his focus was his feet. The soles were being kneaded by a wonderful pair of hands. Two pairs of hands actually, as he could feel four talented thumbs soothing his aches away. He couldn't see the masseuse, but he didn't much mind. The rolling massage worked right into his muscles, and he melted further back into the chair.  
  
When he awoke, the sense of relaxation carried over.

 **_Morning Eddie,_ ** Venom quietly rumbled. He hummed back in acknowledgment. **_We thought, as it was Sunday, that we could stay in bed for longer._ **

He smiled and rolled over onto his side, getting comfortable in the pillows again.

Venom couldn’t help but be reminded that it was the same position he was in when he had pulled them in for a hug. There was a gap between his arm and his chest that was ever so inviting. It wouldn’t take much to slip in there, and Eddie would be all warm and sleepy to snuggle against.

But it was too great a risk. He wasn't asleep enough for them to get away with it. He would know they were there. And besides, they were just being greedy. All night they had been wrapped around him while they attended to his aching feet and legs. They had massaged him well beyond what was needed, turning all of his muscles into butter. They settled back down, and let Eddie snooze for a while longer.

Eddie had already decided that he wasn't going to leave the apartment today. He lounged on the couch while Venom watched movies and he explained the nuances of the plot. Mainly why characters acted the way they did. It was a surprisingly useful tool in that respect. How they had ended up watching Christmas films in April was a mystery though.

 **Why is that woman so distressed?** Venom asked.

“Because she left one of her children behind.”

**Why is this such a big deal?**

“Because he's, like, eight.”

**We do not see the problem.**

“Most eight-year-old's don't know how to take care of themselves.”

**He appears to be managing well enough.**

“You just wait till the bad guys show up.”

 **There are bad guys!?** Venom gleefully asked. **Does he get to eat them?**

“Not in this film.”

**We will just have to eat them instead.**

Eddie smiled at Venom's distracted comment, but it had been a while since they'd gone out on the prowl. Venom had said that they weren't hungry and Eddie had no cause to question it. It was never something he looked forward to much anyway, but its recent absence was noticeable.

His attention drifted from his twitter feed as for the umpteenth time his mind came back to the dream. He didn't know why he couldn't shake it. It had been playing on his mind all day. There was something so familiar about it, and it was true that he was all back to normal. Venom had worked their magic over night, and he could only conclude that his subconscious had supplied the idea of a foot massage. No way would Venom give him one in real life. He couldn't even find the nerve to ask for it. He didn’t have any idea of where all the ropes came from though, and he wasn’t about to psychoanalyse that. But it did lead him onto another thought.

“Hey, Vee, what do you do when I'm asleep?”

Venom's bobbing head stilled at the question. Where had this come from? Did he know something?

**What do you mean?**

“I mean, you don't really sleep, and I was just curious about what you did when I do.”

They spend every hour they can wrapped around him, wondering how they got so lucky, but they didn't say that.

**We make sure that your body is working at maximum efficiency.**

“But that doesn't take all night?”

 **No,** they answered slowly. **We also rest and conserve energy.**

“But, don't you get bored?”

They could never get bored of Eddie. His every reaction to their presence was still a thrill, his body was a cacophony of noise and movement, even if he didn’t know it.

**Why do you ask?**

“I was just thinking that I could set up the laptop for you so you could watch stuff, or play games, or something while I'm asleep. Keep you out of mischief.”

There was no reason to decline his offer.

 **That would be acceptable.**  
  
So that's what Venom's nights became. Eddie would put the laptop on a chair near the foot of the bed with the charger in and the screen facing away so they could use it while he was asleep. At first Venom barely looked at it. They were perfectly happy occupying themselves with Eddie. They would open YouTube and let the autoplay take over to maintain appearances, but only in case he woke up. Eddie had made a point of showing them how to remove their browsing history as this was apparently important to him, so any evidence of their subterfuge was gone by morning. But one night a video about knot tying caught their attention.

They never knew there were so many different ways to tie a piece of rope or string. This lead onto decorative knot tying, crochet, and even hair braiding. There was something else too called shibari that seemed to have some sort of erotic connection, but Venom just thought it looked pretty. Trust humans to take something functional and turn it into something ornamental.

From then on, every night they turned Eddie into a work of art, manipulating themselves into new shapes to try and copy what they saw on screen without cheating. But they started to wish they could share their creativity with Eddie. He never got to see their achievements, and it wasn’t just something that could come up casually in conversation. He never asked again about what they did at night, but then came the nightmare.

Eddie was actually surprised he hadn't had one sooner. Since he was a child he had been plagued with nightmares. Didn't matter what was going on in his life, his brain always decided he could be terrified. Bizarrely though, he hadn't had a single one since Venom came along.

On this particular night, he had set up the laptop and gone to bed as normal. Once he was asleep, Venom had come out, but had delayed their usual coiling around him in favour of the computer. They were researching a particularly complicated macrame pattern they wanted to attempt, and were so caught up in the tutorial that they hadn’t noticed his distress. He let out a small whimper, and suddenly Venom was on high alert.

**Eddie?**

His heartbeat was rapid, his breathing uneven, and a sheen of sweat had beaded on his forehead. His muscles twitched randomly, and his eyes swiveled behind their lids. How had they not detected this earlier?

They glided up his body for a closer look. Venom couldn't see into his dreams, but as they brushed past his subconscious they got the distinct impression of heat and fire, followed by intense cold and utter heartbreak. It wasn’t too hard to guess what the content of the dream might be.

 **Eddie,** they soothed trying to wake him with just their voice. **Eddie, it is just a dream. Wake up.**

But he wouldn't rouse. The stupid laptop had distracted them. If they had just coiled around him as normal they could have stopped this before it had gotten so far. They would have to try something else.

**Eddie, please wake up.**

They reached out a tentative tendril and wiped the sweat from his brow.

 **Eddie,** they purred. **We are here.**

His eyes snapped open, and he shot up from the bed. His hands were like claws looking for something to tear into while he continued to pant through his fear.

“V- Vee? Venom?”

His eyes searched wildly around the room until they adjusted to the dim light. There was Venom right before him, silhouetted by the faint glow from the laptop.

 **We are here,** they repeated.

His fingers itched to touch them, to make sure they were really there. Although he could see them, and sense where they emerged from his abdomen, he needed more contact. A physical confirmation that they were still here.

“Can-,” he panted. “Can I... hold you? Please?”

His voice was still so full of panic that they couldn't have refused him, even if they’d wanted to.

**You may.**

Eddie speedily pulled them close to his chest, and fell back onto his side, curled up around them. Venom increased their mass so he had more to hold onto, and Eddie dug his fingers in deep, burying his face into their form.

Quite frankly, Venom was in bliss. It was one thing to want to touch someone, it was quite another to physically need it. It was a primal instinct, and primal was something they understood very well. They pushed themselves in closer feeling Eddie's sweat damp shirt, his still racing heartbeat, and erratic breathing.

But Eddie needed more. He was calmer than when he awoke, but his body was still coursing with adrenaline.

“Could- could you…” His broken voice tried to find the words, but they wouldn't come. His brain supplied images instead. It hadn't been intentional. He knew what Venom's boundaries were, but right now he was asking them to break them.

Venom knew two of the things they saw in Eddie's mind, but the third one was new. They knew the way they had moved him about the time he was drunk, and they knew the sensation of them wrapped around him at night - which they thought he hadn't been aware of. But the memory of the dream was new, and what's more, the feelings of comfort and security that came with it.

He wanted them to coil around him. He wanted their tendrils and tentacles knotted around his person. He wanted to be held.

So they gave it to him.

They slowly edged half a dozen thick tentacles out from their central mass, making sure Eddie felt them move around him. They encircled his torso and shoulders, and around the back of his neck in their version of a hug.

The effect was immediate. Eddie melted into their hold, the wave of relief that followed nearly knocking Venom for six. All of the fear and anxiety drained out of him like a tap, leaving only an intense feeling of relief and calm.

Venom had massively underestimated how much touch affected humans. It worked so quickly, almost like a drug. Eddie's brain chemistry had flipped almost instantly, and it tasted wonderful.

“Thank you, thank you,” Eddie whispered, his voice muffled but steady.

Venom didn't feel the need to reply. They simply held him tighter, and leaned into all the contact without reluctance. This was how it could be between the two of them, this could be true symbiosis if they both wanted it, or if Venom allowed themselves to have it.  
  
When Eddie woke up the next morning, Venom was no longer holding him.

“Vee?” he asked, rubbing his eyes.

They appeared from over his shoulder, hovering their usual distance away from him.

“Hey, um, about last night-”

**We do not have to talk about it if you do not want to.**

“Oh, okay.”

Eddie wondered if they knew the nightmare was about when he lost them after the rocket explosion. It seemed these days his greatest fear really was losing them again. He shuddered to even think of it.

“But, um, thanks anyway... for what you did.”

**Your health and well being is our top priority. We will do whatever we must to see that you are kept in your optimal condition.**

It was a rather clinical answer.

“Oh. But you've done that before, right? The whole wrapping around me at night thing?” Eddie was certain he had felt it before, and not just in that dream.

Venom was mildly panicking, and quickly fell back on their usual excuses.

**It was something we did with previous hosts to keep them protected while they slept. It is an old habit.**

“But there's no danger here.”

**There could be! It is why we are vigilant at night.**

To Eddie this felt like a lie, but he couldn't quite pinpoint why. He wasn’t great at sensing Venom’s emotions yet, but there was a niggle. The feeling of a half truth they were trying to cover up.

“So if I ever wake up and you're all over me like a pile of snakes, it's for my protection?”

 **Yes,** they replied slightly hesitantly. **It is for protection.**

Was that a shiver of shame? Eddie decided he could accept this excuse - for now.

“Well, okay then. Breakfast?“

Venom was infinitely relieved that he had believed them.

**We want tater tots.**

“We had those yesterday.“

**Pancakes then.**

“We don't have the stuff for pancakes. How about bacon and eggs?”

They grumbled in mock annoyance. **Acceptable.**

 

Now that the secret was out, Venom became a lot bolder with their 'protection'. They didn't always wait for Eddie to be completely asleep anymore. Just as he was drifting off he would become aware of them emerging to wrap around him. More than once it had lulled him off to the land of nod even quicker. It was starting to become a Pavlovian response, and Venom couldn't help but notice this. When Eddie had trouble sleeping now, they would summon up their courage and come out to help him relax.

“Are you protecting me early tonight, bud?” he would ask.

 ** _Your mind is not resting as it should,_** they would say as they slowly coiled around him like a boa constrictor. **_If you felt you were safe then maybe your brain would relax quicker._**

 **“** Can't argue with that logic.”

And the truth was that it did help. It always helped. He hadn't had another nightmare since, and he put that all down to Venom.

But he would be lying if he said he didn't wish he had another one. Of course they were horrible things to have, but afterwards he might get to hug them again. Yes, they touched him more than ever now, even under the ruse of a lie, but he still felt like he couldn't reciprocate. They no longer went deathly still when he touched them without thinking, but they never leaned into it either. He would still chide himself afterwards for not respecting their boundaries, and was beginning to accept that this was just how it was going to be. Venom was only going to be tactile when it was on their terms, and he was ok with that. It just made him look forward to bedtime even more.

After a month, they did away with only coming out when he couldn't sleep. Now they were brave enough to emerge as he was getting into bed, sometimes before he'd even pulled up the covers. Eddie would snuggle down and get comfortable while Venom did the same. The laptop idea had long since been abandoned.

One night, he was just drifting off when the unexpected feeling of a small tendril touched the back of his neck, flinching him suddenly awake again.

 **_Sorry,_ ** Venom mumbled. **_The tag of your shirt was sticking out and causing a distracting irritation._ **

“Oh, okay.”

**_Why do they make clothing labels so itchy?_ **

“I don’t know, bud,” Eddie replied with a smile as he settled down again.

**_Seems like a counter intuitive idea._ **

They both lapsed into silence, the only sound in the room being the ambient noise from outside and their less than considerate neighbours. But that’s only because Venom was trying to understand the way Eddie’s brain had lit up. They couldn’t quite tell if it was from surprise, or from the contact. Possibly both?  It definitely wasn’t the safe, comfortable feeling he got from when they were wrapped around him. This was something slightly different and very intriguing.

But if they wanted to know more they would have to take the initiative to find out. Eddie had never asked them to stop their nightly protection, they were fairly sure he welcomed it. But would he be so receptive if they tried something else? There was always the horrifying possibility he would reject them, but the stronger possibility was that he wouldn’t.

They tentatively reached out the tendril again and ran it along the edge of Eddie’s hairline behind his ear, and down the base of his skull. He shivered slightly in response.

**_The skin is very sensitive here too._ **

Eddie swallowed, not entirely sure where this was going, but prepared to find out.

“Yeah, it is.”

There was a sense of exploration here, perhaps even nerves? This wasn’t about control, or protection. This was just touching, quite possibly only for the sake of it. He tried to keep his breathing even, like this was no big deal. He didn’t want to scare Venom into stopping.

They got bolder, moving the tendril again, this time going from Eddie’s forehead to his temple.

 **_And here,_ ** they commented, noting the way he was reacting to their actions. They weren’t at all unwelcomed like they had worried it might be. His brain was lighting up in new interesting ways, his blood singing with powerful hormones that only made them want to continue.

Eddie’s chest was throbbing from all the contact. A deep yearning that he had been squashing for ages was being awakened. But it wouldn’t do to reveal how much these simple acts were bringing his touch-starved state to the surface. He had to play it cool, and be encouraging without coming off as needy.

“Fingers are super sensitive too,” he added in an almost whisper, doing his utmost best to not break the moment.

Venom recognised it for the invitation that it was. New tendrils broke away from the tentacle around Eddie’s arm and curled their way around each of his fingers. Eddie flexed them experimentally. He felt like he was wearing a pair of gloves that were only half there.

 **_Yes, there are many nerve endings here,_ ** Venom agreed.

They already knew this of course. They knew Eddie inside and out, and had often woven themselves between his hands while he was asleep, examining what signals were sent to his brain. But to feel intentional movement in his fingers while they were around them was an entirely new thrill. He _wanted_ them to be there, and there were whole new layers to the signals zapping around his body.

But, if Venom was going to be bold, then Eddie was going to be bold too. It was time to take a chance. He carefully began moving the hand that Venom was wrapped around, lifting it gently like they were a delicate piece of glass that could break at any moment. He slightly raised his head, and with a held breath, rested his hand on the pillow beneath his cheek.

He kept perfectly still after that, having no idea what Venom would do. They felt just as still next to his face. Had he crossed a line, or would they stay where they are?

Luckily for Eddie, Venom had zero intention of moving. His stubble tickled them while his nervous breathing pushed warm air over their form. They could feel every minute movement of his facial muscles, the flutter of his eyelashes, even the corner of his mouth and his plush lips. It was all so much better when he was awake, when he had meant to do all of it. But he was worried about it. He was worried he had gone too far and that they would be upset with him. Venom decided he was in need of some reassurance, and used one of the finger tendrils to lightly tap him on the nose.

**_Go to sleep._ **

Eddie grinned, letting go of all the tension he had been holding. He allowed himself to sink into all that contact, all of those tentacles wrapped around him, the feel of Venom against his skin. He nuzzled his face in a little closer, letting gravity do its thing and pull him in further against the silky surface.

It felt like something had changed, like some barrier had been broken, but for the better. He was almost sad to fall asleep and miss out on the experience, but he was excited to see what the next day would bring.

But the next day brought nothing. Everything continued just as it was. Eddie tried a few times to touch Venom when they were out, but their reaction was no different. They didn’t lean in, didn’t encourage him in any way. If anything, they were pulling away slightly, almost recoiling when his fingers reached out for them. It was very hard to keep his disappointment to himself.

It was possible that yesterday had just been a fluke, a momentary blimp in their normal behaviour. Perhaps they were just trying something, and now the experiment was over? He tried to console himself with the thought that they would still ‘protect’ him that night, or at least, he hoped they would. Something was better than nothing.

Venom meanwhile had spent all day doing their best not to look at Eddie’s thoughts. They knew he had been happy when he’d gone to sleep, but during those long hours with only themselves for company, they had begun to doubt their actions. It was so far beyond anything else that they had ever done, and while it felt wonderful in the moment, they kept on expecting to be punished. They hadn’t forgotten the feel of Riot’s spikes or the bite of razor sharp teeth.

It probably shouldn’t happen again, they decided, even if Eddie’s mood had sombered every time they tried to touch them that day. They didn’t want him to feel like that, but they had no choice. It was for the best, they told themselves. Symbiotes shouldn’t get attached to their hosts, and they had become so attached to Eddie. It was better to put in some distance, it would be easier then when they had to separate. But they could still protect him after dark. That was allowed, they reasoned.

All evening Eddie had been twitchy. He kept on looking at the clock to see if it was an acceptable time to go to bed yet. He wasn’t aware of how much Venom’s actions were mirroring his own. They were eager to make up for Eddie’s low mood and hungry for that feeling of security and comfort they could give him. They adored the flavour of it, it was so satisfying.

When it reached 10:30pm, Eddie decided it was time to call it a night. He all but rushed through getting ready for bed, and settled under the covers with a sense of expectation. But when Venom didn’t immediately come out, his heart sank.

“Um, night, Vee,” he offered, in the hope it would remind them of the time.

In reality, Venom was perfectly aware of the time. They had lost their courage from the night before and didn’t want to build Eddie’s hopes up again. If they were going to do anything, it would be the standard protection formation and nothing extra, nothing fancy.

 **_Goodnight, Eddie,_ **they supplied in return, at least acknowledging his attempt.

Eddie let out a long sigh. It was over. Whatever he had done - and he was fairly certain it was something he had done - had changed their dynamic back to how it was. They had returned to being bodymates and nothing more. Just a host and symbiote.

Venom wanted to shout at him that this wasn’t the case, that they were more than that, but they couldn’t define exactly what they were either. They knew they cared for him more than they should. No other Klyntar ever concerned themselves with the emotional well being of their hosts. But even if they were just a host and a symbiote, it still meant that they got to protect him at night. They had done it with every other organism they lived with, and they weren’t going to stop now. They emerged softly, trying to go as unnoticed as possible, but they needn’t have bothered.

Eddie had gone to bed without being the least bit tired and was just lying there, wallowing in his disappointment. He wasn’t even close to falling asleep, and suddenly feeling Venom manifest sent his pulse rocketing. He became almost hyper-aware of his own skin, of everywhere that Venom was moving. He tried to relax and let them do what they always did, but it was difficult to not let himself be at least a little bit happy.

“Thought you weren’t going to show tonight.”

**_We will always keep you safe from danger._ **

It was the same old excuse, but Eddie was glad to hear it. It meant that things hadn’t taken such a backwards step after all. But it left him confused about how they had been behaving all day. Did it mean that it always had to be one-sided? That Venom was the only one allowed to touch? That they could do what they wanted, but he couldn’t? And why was it only ok to do it when he was getting ready to sleep?

This had been going on for months now, and he had been fine with that arrangement before. But last night, something changed, and maybe it was time for a little clarification.

“You know,” he started as he watched them wind down his arm. “You don't need to wait till night time to do this.”

 **You only need protecting at night,** they replied, their head having formed from his sternum, but their attention focused towards his feet.

“Really? Because I’m starting to wonder if that’s actually true.”

Venom spun to face him.

**Of course it is.**

“You sure about that, because it’s okay if it’s not.”

 **It is, it is!** they growled, pushing their face closer to his. **We are protecting our host, keeping them safe from danger. We are not breaking the rules, we promise!**

Venom winced, instantly knowing they had said the wrong thing. Eddie gave them a questioning look.

“What... rules?”

Venom shook their head. **Nothing. No rules. There are no rules. We can do whatever we want!**

And with that, they dove back into Eddie, taking all of their tentacles with them. He felt winded by the impact, and instantly regretted his words.

“Venom? Vee?”

Nothing.

“Vee, I'm sorry I said anything. Please, you can come back out and protect me. It's fine.”

But Venom didn't show. They were hiding near to his diaphragm, feeling ashamed. Eddie never knew their contact was forbidden, but he did now. Now he would find out their deviance and why the others had shunned him. Why they lived every night behind a lie.

They felt him shifting on the bed, curling up into a ball on his side. He tasted of guilt and regret, and it was a very unpleasant flavour. Nothing at all like the comfort and relaxation they gave him every night. They much preferred those emotions, they liked making Eddie feel them. But he probably wouldn’t feel them anymore. It was all ruined.

Eddie meanwhile was wondering if Venom's aversion to touch actually had anything to do with him at all. He knew very little of their life before they came to earth, and their mention of rules gave him an uneasy feeling. If what he had seen of Riot was anything to go by, it was very likely a rather violent existence, with severe repercussions for anyone who stepped out of line. He understood what the consequences of living a life like that could be.

He sighed heavily, and placed a soothing hand on his chest, thinking warm thoughts in Venom’s direction.

“I'm sorry, Vee. You do whatever you need to to feel comfortable, okay? I'm not going to push. If you don't want to come out that's fine too. I'll see you in the morning, yeah?”

No reply was forthcoming, but there was a slight movement, a feeling of acceptance that was pushed his way. Eddie settled down under the covers, and for the first time in a long while, tried to get to sleep without his Venom security blanket.

  
It turned out, he would have to do it for the rest of the week. Venom barely spoke at all and showed their face even less. They had gone from one extreme to the other, feeling like emerging for any reason would count as touching now. They didn’t even do it at night when Eddie was completely asleep. It felt like too much of a risk.

Eddie missed them more than he thought he would. No matter how many times he apologised, Venom wouldn’t come out, and his days became very quiet. On top of that, Venom’s hunger made a grand return. It had been ages since their last 'meal', and they seemed to have been doing fine till he went and messed things up. It was a wet Wednesday night when it finally became too much for Eddie to take.

“Come on,” he said to the room. “We're going out.”

Venom's hunger was a feeling he'd come to recognise early on. It was a gnawing, twisting sensation that made it seem like his stomach was trying to eat itself. The more he ignored it, the worse it became. Normally it wouldn't get to this stage as Venom was very vocal about how starving they were. But the radio silence meant it had gone on for longer than it should have.

Eddie trudged up and down the slick streets with his leather jacket on over his hoodie. It didn't do much to stop the rain. It had already soaked through his hood and he'd been walking long enough that the tips of his fingers were starting to go numb. He knew on nights like this that they weren't going to find a victim to save, so the quickest route to a meal was to become the bait themselves. Eddie tried to push out some 'helpless victim' vibes. He even got out his phone and stopped paying attention to his surroundings. Venom would at least warm him of any danger. Right?

Wrong. They gave no mention when the tall man with the gun stepped out of the alley. They didn't say a word when he hustled Eddie along demanding his phone and his wallet. And they definitely didn't alert him to the second assailant who appeared behind Eddie from the shadows. By the time Venom saw the raised baton the second man was carrying, it was too late.

**_Eddie!_ **

There was a horrible thwack, a burst of pain and stars, and Eddie was down for the count.

But Venom wasn't. Eddie had barely begun to fall to the ground before they took over his body. They raced to cover him, any shame completely obliterated by the need to save their most precious person. They slowly straightened up again, pulling themselves up to their full height, boiling with rage.

 **HOW DARE YOU TOUCH MY EDDIE!** they bellowed.

The attacker with the gun was the first to go. He didn't even attempt to move, didn't even fire his weapon. He was caught like a rabbit in the headlights, and Venom took full advantage of that. His head was soon making its way down their throat. The second man screamed. Venom turned on him, watching him stumble further down towards the dead end of the alley. He swished the baton around feebly trying to ward Venom off. They just chuckled. Two tentacles whipped out, capturing the man's wrists and splaying his arms wide - almost to the point of dislocation. His second scream didn't make it very far. The dull thud of his decapitated body probably made more noise.

With the immediate threat dealt with, Venom turned their attention inwards back to their host. The damage had been healed near instantaneously, but Eddie was still unconscious.

 **_Eddie? Eddie?_ ** they prodded.

No response.

**_Eddie, you may wake up now._ **

But he remained silent. They searched for anything they might have missed, but there was nothing. Everything was as it should be.

They began to panic. They tried to remember what Eddie's instructions were. He had told them what to do if something went wrong and that was... to go home! Yes, that's what they would do. The quickest way was over the rooftops, but they figured Eddie wouldn't mind as this counted as an emergency. They kept on prodding him as they travelled, kept on trying to rouse him, but they were only greeted with a black void where his consciousness was.

The next hurdle came with getting back into the apartment. Eddie had left the normal way through a door without leaving any windows open. They would have to go back in the same way.

Taking control of Eddie was easy, they had done it a few times before. The big stuff - walking, running, throwing punches  - was simple, but they hadn't practiced enough using his fine motor skills. Dropping down and blending in wasn’t hard on the near empty streets, but Eddie's numb fingers did nothing to help them handle his keys. They quickly grew frustrated, and extended a discreet tentacle to get the job done. It was the same with the apartment door.

As soon as they were inside, Venom extended their head to look at their forlorn host. Without their help, his head lolled to one side and his mouth wouldn't stay closed.

 **Please, Eddie. Wake up,** they gently urged with a slight nudge to his chest.

They thought for a moment that he was coming around, that he was moving on his own again. But it was only shivers. His clothes were cold and damp against his skin, and the poorly heated room was doing nothing to help. They tried to warm him up from the inside, to get his blood pumping around his body, but it was a futile effort while his outer layers were wet. They needed to get him dry. Warm and dry were a humans optimal operating conditions. A change of clothes were needed.

They could do this. They had seen Eddie get dressed and undressed hundreds of times. It would be simpler to just rip it all to shreds, but they knew he wouldn’t be happy if they did that.

The jacket was the first to go and was a straightforward task. It fell to the floor with a gentle thunk. The hoodie required more effort, and multiple tendrils were needed to lift it over his head. The buttons and fly of his jeans were frustrating. They spent so much concentration on them that Eddie had begun to slouch to one side, his knees slowly buckling. Of course, once they had his jeans open they remembered with a grumble that they needed to take his shoes off first. The laces were undone quickly, and soon Eddie was standing amongst a pile of damp clothes in just his boxers. They moved him to the bathroom to towel off his hair, then directed him to put on a clean-ish tshirt and his regular sweatpants. But he still wasn't warm enough for their liking, so they put him in bed too.

They pulled over the covers and pooled beneath them on his chest, a small head poking out and studying his face for any flicker of change. They ran a tendril over the sensitive skin on his face, but it felt wrong. It felt wrong to touch him without getting a response. It had felt wrong the entire time they were getting him dry, but they had pushed it aside out of necessity. Now they were dwelling on it.

Unconscious was so entirely different to asleep. Normally, when Eddie was asleep, his consciousness was like a grey haze - it could easily be moved to awaken into vibrant colours. But now it was a black void that wasn't changing no matter what they did. His body was just as lifeless. Sure, his heart still thumped, his lungs still filled and emptied air in a steady rhythm, but the rest of him was horribly still. There were no micro muscle movements, no hormone releases in his brain. His cells were not doing their nightly repair work, or his subconscious working through the tangled thoughts of his mind. They hated it.

When they had first met Eddie they had known very little of humans. Forced to survive all those months meant they had never had the time to appreciate the bodies they were in. It wasn't the first time they had been in Eddie while he was unconscious, but they hadn't known him then as they knew him now. They didn't know what human bodies were supposed to be doing. The silence was oppressive. The damage was fixed, why wouldn't he wake up?

The laptop! The internet would provide an answer. They had to stretch further than they were comfortable with to get it, but it was soon brought back to the safety of the bed so that they could research while keeping hold of Eddie. Many tentacles had creeped out to curl around him possessively, so much more than they ever did with their ‘protection’. They Googled as best they could, but almost all of the advice suggested that they go to the hospital. They weren't going to do that, they knew they had fixed him, so it just became a waiting game.

It was their own reluctance and shame that had gotten them into this situation, and they were dammed if it was going to happen again. They were going to be bolder, to break the old cycles and have what they wanted... if only Eddie would wake up. They knew he liked it when they touched him, they just had to show that it was ok for him to touch them. They were still not used to it, they were still surprised every time his fingers brushed against their form, but it had never been unpleasant. The night he put his face upon them wrapped around his hand had been wonderful. They had to allow themselves to have it because they knew that Eddie would always freely give it. They vowed that as soon as he woke up, they would put their decision into action.

It was probably only a few hours in the end, but to Venom it was an eternity. They sensed the change before they saw it. The void of his mind started to brighten, the colour started to lift.

 **Eddie?** they asked hopefully, their small head rising from his chest.

His muscles twitched a bit as his brain began firing off commands again. Venom curled around tighter, desperate to feel the movement. The grey haze was shifting, other hues were trying to break through. His eyes were fluttering.

 **Eddie!** they called, completely ecstatic.

His eyes took a moment to focus, but when they did they found an overjoyed Venom looking up at him, wearing the covers like a hood. At least they were back to showing themselves again. His lips formed a wonky smile.

“Hey,” he croaked.

His brain registered where he was and groggily put the pieces together. They had even changed his clothes.

“I guess those guys really got me good, eh?”

**Yes, but then we got them good back.**

It was impossible not to notice that he wasn’t hungry anymore. He decided not to dwell on the rest.

Venom retreated a little under the duvet. **We are sorry, Eddie.**

“What for?”

**They should not have been able to hurt you. It was our fault.**

“Hey, hey,” he said soothingly, his fingers itching to comfort them but restraining themselves. “I'm ok now. You fixed me all up, didn't you?” Venom slowly nodded. “And you brought me home, didn't you? Even got me nice and dry?” Venom nodded again. “Then there's nothing to be sorry about. These things happen.”

Venom knew he wanted to touch them, to stroke away their worries. They were sad that he was stopping himself from doing it. He didn't know yet that things had changed. They would have to show him.

**We were worried about you.**

Twin tendrils extended to brush up the sides of his neck and face, and Eddie blinked in surprise. Venom sent out more to edge along his collarbones, down his arms and over his ribs. They moved in circular motions, gingerly caressing his skin, like he would swat them away at any moment.

After his amazement had subsided, Eddie relaxed into the touch. Venom got bolder, moving up into his hair and around the back of his neck. There was that feeling again like after the nightmare, the flood of chemicals in his brain washing away any lingering doubts or concerns.

Eddie sighed with half-closed eyes. It was all very lovely, but it was still night time, and it was still all on Venom’s terms. He had to ask the question.

“You're being very affectionate tonight,” he observed.

**It that what this is called?**

Eddie opened his eyes again. “Yeah, why what would you call it?”

There was a ghost of emotion across their face, and the tendrils stilled. Eddie was getting better at reading them, and sensed a wobble of nervousness. Their voice got very small.

**We would call it, breaking the rules.**

“Are these Riot’s rules?”

**All Klyntar rules. It is forbidden to touch a host unless it is to control them.**

“Is that why you were protecting me at night? Because that wasn’t breaking the rules?”

They nodded. It explained so much. Not everything, but a lot.

“Well, those are fucking stupid rules.”

Venom perked up, emerging from under the covers as their confidence in their decision grew. They knew Eddie would see it their way.

“Vee, you are allowed to touch me whenever you like, okay? Doesn't have to just be at night to protect me. Understand?”

 **Yes,** they nodded, their tendrils slowly resuming their movements. **And, Eddie?**

He looked at them expectantly. They wanted to say the same, to tell him that he shouldn't be afraid to touch them either. They would welcome it, but the words weren't coming. So they tried action instead. Eddie started for a moment when his arms began to move on their own. It always did freak him out a little, but he watched as his hands came up and rested upon Venom's form. Then, he understood.

“Are you sure?”

**Yes.**

He moved his fingers slightly, stroking over their mass, and the response was unmistakable. He did it again with more enthusiasm, and Venom pushed into the contact. Eddie was unstoppable after that. He kneaded and squeezed, scritched and rubbed, noting the difference in Venom's reactions. He found what spots they liked, the combinations they enjoyed. It was finally the free for all that he had been hoping for for a while now.

“Come here you big softie,” he murmured before wrapping his arms around them in a deep hug.

Venom made themselves bigger so he could have more to hold onto. They now understood the value of a hug. It was so much more than just two beings touching. It was warmth and safety and comfort. It was a promise of love and acceptance, and Eddie had accepted them. Accepted every part of them.

 **Eddie?** they asked.

“Hmm?” came his muffled reply.

**May we try something?**

He lifted his head. “What do you have in mind?”

**Can you sit up?**

“Sure.”

He pushed himself up then shuffled backwards so he was leaning against the headboard.

“What did you want to try?”

The many tendrils over him began to retract as the main bulk of Venom's mass slipped down his chest towards his abdomen. Then it began to grow. Their head rose up above his eye level, their shoulders widening out into long arms, a full torso taking the place of nimble strands. Their chest was inches away from his and totally dwarfed it. Eddie had never seen them like this when they were not covering him. He reached out a tentative hand to touch the well-defined muscles. Their toothy smile mirrored his own. Then they wrapped their arms around him and pulled him in close.

After Eddie had taken a surprised moment, he did the same, though his arms didn't reach around anywhere near as far. He buried his head in the crook of their neck and sighed.

They were both in heaven. Eddie's brain sang with all those wonderful chemicals, scratching an itch he didn't know he had. He could most definitely get used to this if it was to be the new normal.

Venom meanwhile was revelling in this new way of holding their host. It was very human, but really rather wonderful. Having Eddie in their arms was extremely reassuring, and they leaned their head upon his.

“Thank you for doing this, Vee.”

**We will do this every day from now on.**

Eddie huffed out a small laugh. “Seriously?”

**Yes. It is having a positive impact on your mental well being. And it is good for your overall health.**

“And it feels nice?” Eddie offered.

 **And it feels nice,** Venom agreed.

They both settled back into the hug and didn't say anything else for a good while.

Overnight, their lives had become so much richer. Touching was no longer forbidden. Eddie didn’t have to hold himself back now, he could be as affectionate as he liked - which was a fair amount, and in return Venom allowed themselves to enjoy it. They actively encouraged it, knowing full well that Eddie would lavish attention on any bit of them he could reach.

Night time was still their favourite though, where he and Eddie would wrap themselves up in each other while the world continued around them. Venom would cover him in intricate patterns while Eddie traced the lines with his fingers until he fell asleep. There was no need to hide anything now, no reprisals were coming. Everything was open, and free, and wanted.

After that, it would be a long time until Venom felt truly hungry again. But it would be at least another six months before either of them could figure out why. Love is kind of funny like that.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I don't think I'll ever get enough of my two favourite boys being soft together.
> 
> Kudos is great, but comments make my day! :D


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